The invention relates to window blind assemblies or more specifically to one that has slats that can be illuminated. Some of the present day window blind assemblies are shown in the patents that will be discussed below.
The Hiraki U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,585 discloses a solar cell panel assembly for driving a motor-driven blind. The solar cell panel assembly is mounted between an outer glass plate and an inner glass plate and the glass plates are spaced from each other. A solar cell panel is disposed at the lowest portion on the inside of the outer glass plate and is mounted at an inclination angle so that its lower edge portion is positioned on a gasket and its upper edge portion extends toward the inner glass plate
The Gillard U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,363 is directed to a solar cell window fitting. An array of solar cells for supplying electrical energy to a building (e.g., for operating air-conditioning equipment) is mounted in a window fitting, which comprises a pair of transparent glass panes between which a window blind (e.g., of the Venetian blind type) is mounted. Solar cells are secured to slats of the window blind so as to be exposed to sunlight incident thereon
The Popat U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,000 is directed to a system for the automatic operation of window blinds which are responsive to the presence of artificial illumination. In a preferred embodiment, the automatic window covering system consists of a conventional optical flicker detector, a conventional control apparatus and a conventional window covering.
The Popat U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,621 is directed to a system for the automatic regulation of daylight admitted into a room and is specifically intended for daylighting applications
The Popat U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,558 teaches a venetian blind window covering that provides solar powered illumination, note FIGS. 8D through 8I.
The Digert U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,910 teaches using blinds to direct light into the interior of a room.
The Kleinwachter US patent application publication no.: US 2001/0054252 teaches a blinds system that converts impinging light into energy that is used as diffuse light to illuminate the inside of an interior space.
The Muller US patent application publication no.: US 2002/0033190 teaches having blinds and awnings with solar cells for producing energy. The awning has an electrolyzer and fuel cells, or a reformer and fuel cells, for additional storage of the surplus energy produced by the solar modules.
The Japanese patent 2002299666A is directed to a thin-film solar cell module that has a see-through structure like blinds.
The Emde US patent application publication no.: US 2005/0105303 teaches a window element that is self-luminous and that illuminates the interior of a room. The inventor does not use blinds.
The Vasquez US patent application publication no.: US 2005/0183833 is directed to an automated shutter control for a shutter having a plurality of slats which are pivoted in unison; the automated shutter control comprises a motor, a slat interface having a body portion and a connector portion.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel window blind having horizontal slats that can be illuminated.
It is an object of the invention to provide a novel window blind having vertical slats that can be illuminated.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel window blind having an elongated bundle of light transmitting fibers attached to one of the surfaces of the slats.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a novel window blind having an LED positioned adjacent at least one end of the slats to provide illumination for the slats.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel window blind having photovoltatic cells on the slats for charging batteries that power lights used to illuminate the slats.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel window blind having structure for illuminating a room.